moody melodic acoustic/electric tune up, reviews please

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undrgrnd studio

undrgrnd studio

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Hey guys, I posted some new tunes about a week ago, I didn't get much response about them but I just posted another tune a few days ago that I'm proud of. I was hoping for input on vocal sound, effects, and performance as well overall comments. Do you like it, do hate it.

This is a song I wrote years ago and have had a really difficult time laying it down. I don't know why exactly, it's not the most complex piece, but something about the timing breaks, the vocal melody range, and my obsessive nature have really gotten in the way of completing this song. But FINALLY I got a vocal take that I think is not only passable but strong emotionally and dynamically.. Please take a listen, I appreciate it.

It's titled Black Hole

www.myspace.com/danieljamessmall
 
The electric guitar in the intro sounded a little harsh to me. I think you should try the vocals with less effects on them. Overall it's a pretty cool song.
 
Harsh, yeah a bit

I think it's my tube driver amp. It doesn't have any warmth to it at all. No matter what guitar I run through it. It's difficult to tone down that bitter harshness. Maybe someone here has some suggestions for eqing or filtering. I really don't know what to do about that.

The electric track is a Danelectro Guitar run through a Danelectro distortion pedal into a Tubedriver amp, recorded with a SP B1 mic and a DMP3 pre.

The vocal fx was a departure for me. I almost never use anything other than a tad of reverb. I figured the vocals needed something to get that certain feel. I'll try to tone it down. I noticed the effect takes the vocal timing out a little bit as well. It's in perfectly without it.

All I have for effects is what's built into Audition 2. I'm kind of limited.

I tried using my Symetrix compressor and going for an upfront whisper/breathy timbre. But that didn't work. I also tried a phaser, a flanger, and clean. This was the best I could come up with. If I remember right I believe it's a Chorus effect that I tweaked around to get that sound.

Thanks for the listen.
 
Too much efect on the vocals although I really like where your going with the vocals.
Acoustic guitars sound nice.

I can hear some noise at the start. Just bad editing really. I don't like the direct electric guitar.

Nice,
Eck
 
noise?

My ears were probably bleeding by the time I got to mixing. I'll go over it again when I get home, I didn't notice when I posted it.

The guitar actually isn't direct. I probably could have gotten a better sound if I did. Maybe I can breathe some life into the guitar with an eq or filter to try and remove that dead harsh sound quality. I'm not gonna play it again, oh my god was that hard. It doesn't sound it, but it was. For me anyway.

Too much efect on the vocals although I really like where your going with the vocals.
Acoustic guitars sound nice.

I can hear some noise at the start. Just bad editing really. I don't like the direct electric guitar.

Nice,
Eck
 
I don't hear the guitar as being harsh, more so dead sounding as if it was recorded direct. Maybe worth trying direct if thats what you get from your amp.

Try different reverbs, and try the reverb on different freuqencies of the guitar to bring out some depth. Sublte delay might work nice also.
Try backing off the mic from the amp if your using your amp again, so you get a more natural sound.

Eck
 
You can really hear

the harshness on some of my other songs, especially on rhythm tracks. I don't believe there is any reverb right now, so that's definitely going to be my first attempt. I mic the amp from about 8-12 inches off center. Maybe I should try coming at a harder angle from 18" or so. Also I never use the amp reverb, that way I can control reverb later in the mix when I want it. Maybe I should try using it next time?

I don't hear the guitar as being harsh, more so dead sounding as if it was recorded direct. Maybe worth trying direct if thats what you get from your amp.

Try different reverbs, and try the reverb on different freuqencies of the guitar to bring out some depth. Sublte delay might work nice also.
Try backing off the mic from the amp if your using your amp again, so you get a more natural sound.

Eck
 
Im sure I heard reverb in the electric guitar. Could have imaginied it though. :S

seems like the mix is pretty far away, so not sure what to do to get more natural sounding electric guitar. Must be your amp?

Eck
 
I have a fender head that's useable. But the half stack I'm running it through sounds like a cardboard box. Maybe I can try running the fender head through the tubedriver speaker. That could be interesting. If there is any reverb on the electric guitar I would've have done it in the mix. I don't recall doing that though. I probably spent 15 hours on that song, so unless I'm staring at the tracks I don't really know.
Im sure I heard reverb in the electric guitar. Could have imaginied it though. :S

seems like the mix is pretty far away, so not sure what to do to get more natural sounding electric guitar. Must be your amp?

Eck
 
Eyah just keep experimenting
Its the best way.
And take breaks every once in a while so you dont get tired ears.

Eck
 
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